1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat transfer recording apparatus for transferring the ink of a heat transfer medium to a recording medium to thereby record an image on the recording medium.
As the heat transfer recording apparatus, mention may be made of a printer, a word processor or a facsimile apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
For example, as the output device of a word processor or the like, heat transfer recording in which use is made of an ink sheet comprising a base film and heat-transferable ink applied thereto, the inked surface of the ink sheet is superposed on a recording sheet, and heat is applied to the base film side of the ink sheet by a thermal head in conformity with an image signal, whereby the ink is melted or reduced in viscosity and transferred onto the recording sheet to thereby form a recorded image thereon is widely utilized because of its low noise, high quality of image and good preservability of images.
The recording apparatus for carrying out the above-described heat transfer recording, as is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 59-150762, is designed such that the conveyance of the recording sheet and the conveyance of the ink sheet and further the driving of a cutter for cutting the recording sheet are accomplished by a single motor or by three motors corresponding to said conveyance and said driving.
However, to effect the conveyance of the recording sheet and the conveyance of the ink sheet at the same time by a single motor, the load applied to the motor is great, e.g. about twice as great as the load of a thermosensitive recording apparatus and therefore, the cost of the motor is increased. Particularly, to improve the recording speed, it is necessary to improve the conveyance speed of each sheet and therefore, it becomes necessary to further increase the output of the motor, and this is a factor of a further increased cost.
Also, where design is made such that the recording sheet, the ink sheet and the cutter are driven by three motors as previously described, there are the problems that the cost of the motors is likewise increased and that the volume of the recording apparatus is also increased.